Five Eyes Intelligence-sharing Network

04.05.2024

Five Eyes Intelligence-sharing Network

Why in the news?                          

          Recently, 4 countries on 3 continents, which are part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, have accused India of running espionage operations.

About Five Eyes Intelligence-sharing Network:

• It is a multilateral intelligence-sharing network shared by over 20 different agencies of five English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. 
• It is both surveillance-based and signals intelligence (SIGINT). Its genesis lies in the post-war 1946 UKUSA Agreement, intended as a cooperative arrangement for sharing signals intelligence (SIGINT).
• Intelligence documents shared between the member countries are classified as ‘Secret—AUS/CAN/NZ/UK/US Eyes Only,’ which gave the group its title ‘Five Eyes’.
• Its scope was limited to “communication intelligence matters only” related to “unrestricted” exchange of intelligence products in six areas:

     ○Collection of traffic; acquisition of communication documents and equipment; traffic analysis; cryptanalysis; decryption and translation; and acquisition of information regarding communication organizations, practices, procedures, and equipment.

• The arrangement was later extended to ‘second party’ countries Canada joined in 1948, while Australia and New Zealand became part of the alliance in 1956.

How does the network work?

• Initially, the partners are assigned respective SIGINT mandates.
• The goalpost of the Five Eyes, however, has shifted following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of new global challenges like terrorism and the growing influence of China.
• The Five Eyes have become involved in ocean and maritime surveillance, scientific and defense intelligence analysis, medical intelligence, geospatial intelligence, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and the continuous sharing of intelligence products via a secret collective database known as ‘Stone Ghost’.

                                                      Source: Indian Express

Consider the following:

1. Australia

2. New Zealand

3. India

4. United States

How many of the above countries are part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network?

A.Only one

B.Only two

C.Only three

D.All four

Answer C